viking yacht past time

• Nov 7, 2023

92-Foot Luxury Yacht Stuck in Delray Beach Finally Removed

One of the greatest fears among boat owners is being the subject of a viral video. Usually that anxiety is centered around things like docking at a busy marina or trying to navigate infamous passages like the Haulover Inlet.

Sadly, for the owner of a stunningly beautiful 92-foot (28 m) Viking luxury yacht, his dilemma has been making headlines for all the wrong reasons.

Residents in Delray Beach, Florida awoke on Friday to the massive yacht beached next to residential homes.

It was stranded there the entire weekend until TowBoatrUS in Fort Lauderdale was able to free the vessel on Monday from its position.

Captain Larry Acheson, president of the company, told WPTV they had 20 people working to try and free the boat from its hangup.

"We had various vessels all with different missions," he told WPTV . "We had to pull the diesel fuel off board. Various people on the beach and various people on the disabled vessel. If it starts taking on water, we had to have people running the pumps."

Seth Stern from the ultra-popular boating YouTube channel Wavy Boats , told WPTV reporter Chris Gilmore "You'll never see a boat like this beached again in your lifetime."

"This is not a small boat. This is not a small operation," he added.

According to Stern, the Viking's engines locked up and a generator malfunctioned during high winds on the ocean off Delray Beach, resulting in the boat being unable to control its movement before being steadily pushed onshore by powerful waves. According to Delray Beach police, three people were onboard the vessel when it ran into trouble.

"The attempts that I have witnessed have been unsuccessful due to the lines snapping due to the sheer weight of the boat," Stern told WPTV .

"Today it's nice to see they're pumping off all the fuel and oil to prevent any kind of environmental spill for when they do pull this boat off. It'll also lighten the boat tremendously, making the rescue much easier," added Stern.

The boat, named Pastime , is a Viking Sport Fisherman with an estimated value of about $10 million USD. Viking Yachts are one of North America's most prized brands with a devoted following. The company was founded in 1964 by brothers Bob and Bill Healey and is widely regarded as one of the most innovative brands in boating . They're also popular among celebrities and big-time sport-fisherman thanks to their ability to blend luxury with hardcore fishing amenities. NBA legend Michael Jordan, who aside from his extensive basketball resume, is well-known for participating in sportfishing tournaments with his epic 80-foot Viking Catch-23 .

You can see Pastime in her predicament in the video from Wavy Boats below:

*UPDATE* 11/10/23- Viking has released a statement regarding the incident:

#news #culture #vikingyachts

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Viking 92 Freed from Florida Beach

This isn’t supposed to happen.

But last Friday afternoon, a Viking 92 sportfishing yacht named Pastime ended up on the beach in Delray Beach, Florida. The 151-ton boat, launched in 2016, was stuck in the sand, and couldn’t get off.

Despite heroic rescue efforts, it remained there for two days, until TowBoatUS was able to pump out more than 1,000 gallons of fuel and water and, working on a high tide, float it off. Remarkably, early reports say the Viking suffered just bent props and rudders. (I’ve been to the Viking factory in New Gretna, New Jersey, many times over the years; Vikings are built like little battleships.)

The problems started when a three-person crew was taking the boat from Palm Beach down to Fort Lauderdale. The details are scanty, but somehow the boat lost power off Delray Beach in 30-knot winds and 10-foot seas. The twin 2,600-hp MTU V12 diesels stopped, and the generator malfunctioned. Reports say the fire suppression system shut down the power for some reason.

In any event, the waves pushed the boat toward the beach, and there also apparently was a problem with the anchor. The captain decided to beach the boat to keep it from drifting.

He had first called the Coast Guard and both TowBoatUS and Sea Tow vessels responded. As you can see in the video below, their efforts to secure a line to the Pastime failed several times when the lines snapped.

Pastime was finally refloated on Sunday afternoon and it reportedly was taken to the Viking Service Center up in Riviera Beach on Lake Worth.

The boat, previously named Sweet Tuna , was sold last year. The asking price was $8,750,000.

Viking Yachts issued a statement saying that the yacht “encountered a fuel interruption to the generators and then main engines, at which point the 92 C lost power. It was set adrift as the captain and crew tried to resolve the problem. The crew tried to deploy the anchor by releasing the brake, but unfortunately, the devil claw was still attached. It subsequently was lodged in the deployment chute, rendering the anchor unusable. The 92 C came to rest on the shore in Delray Beach, Florida.”  It also said that technicians at the Viking service center “determined that the incident was not the result of manufacturing or design error and that the damage was minimal.”

Read more at  https://www.boatinternational.com/yachts/news/28m-viking-runs-aground-delray-beach-florida and see the video below:

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Pascal Senior Member

Surprised nobody posted this.. no idea what the story is but…

Attached Files:

2016 viking sportfish yacht ran aground on beach.jpeg.

Norseman Senior Member

They lost power, and was unable to deploy the anchor, according to internet gossip. It should be off by now.

If hydraulic windlass, no power = no windlass but still should have released. Now of course pretty much all SF have ridiculously small anchors so considering the conditions it would have helped much.

Liam Senior Member

Previously named Sweet Tuna and now called Pastime, she is hull #10 of the Viking 92 series and the first in the Convertible (open bridge) delivered in the fall of 2016. She sold in 2022, asking at the time 8,750,000 US$. Other internet gossip is saying she was displayed at the Fort Lauderdale 2023 boat show as brokerage, and has also just sold.

mapism Senior Member

I always found the reasons for NOT having bow rails in sportfish boats a bit unplausible, if not even laughable. But eventually, I just had a brainwave and understood the one and only true reason, that obviously nobody mention: Knowing how unreliable these things are, it's convenient not to have rails in the way, when leaving a beached boat from the bow due to power loss...

Imagine having to go to the bow without rails in. 8-10 foot seas to manually release the anchor…. Or to attach a tow line.

A video showing the rescue , looks a bit rough, but nothing extraordinary.. I have always thought it was nutty not having proper railings and handholds all the way around these sport fishers, or any boats, as anchor handing could be compromised in challenging conditions. (I sure don’t think it looks good or sexy with a naked foredeck, is there a reason, like a fishing reason for it?)

Scott W Senior Member

I sure hope he optioned the Amphibious Landing Package on that one.

DOCKMASTER Senior Member

How bad is your day when you write a $10m + check (or whatever sale price was), then the engines and gen fail and your just acquired boat ends up on the beach. curious why they were trying to pull it off the beach from the bow? Looked like stern was floating when waves came in. Seems like it would pull easier from stern? Maybe they were worried about waves swamping over the transom?

DOCKMASTER said: ↑ How bad is your day when you write a $10m + check (or whatever sale price was), then the engines and gen fail and your just acquired boat ends up on the beach. curious why they were trying to pull it off the beach from the bow? Looked like stern was floating when waves came in. Seems like it would pull easier from stern? Maybe they were worried about waves swamping over the transom? Click to expand...

mapism said: ↑ I always found the reasons for NOT having bow rails in sportfish boats a bit unplausible, if not even laughable. But eventually, I just had a brainwave and understood the one and only true reason, that obviously nobody mention: Knowing how unreliable these things are, it's convenient not to have rails in the way, when leaving a beached boat from the bow due to power loss... Click to expand...

Liam said: ↑ By what I hear and see they are usually quite reliable and have a higher standard of engineering. We cannot not agree that there engine rooms, hardware, and systems are of top standard. Click to expand...

It should be off by now. Click to expand...

92 Viking Sportfish Beached.jpeg

One possible explanation I read elsewhere was a malfunction with the fire system. It s pretty much the only thing that can kill both engines and gens. I have to assume the captain knew where the override switch was located… is it possible for the shutdown box to fail in a way that would prevent the override switch to do its job? We test our shutdown and override every year during the fire equipment inspection. First time around the gens and blower shutdown was working but not the MTUs. It took a while for an MTU electronic specialist to figure it out as apparently the MTU electronics make it pretty complex. Looking at the overhead drone shot, there appears to be an escape hatch at the bow. WTH isn’t there a short low profile rail, just a couple of inches off the deck that could be used to secure a tether line to make it possible to get to the anchor or secure a tow line. Amazing how insurers and ABYC nitpick about little details but ignore things like this. the running gear has to be toast. Who ever gets her off the beach better have a couple of crash pumps on stand by.

Hatterized Member

just a feeling here, i sense more a mechanical issue than human error in this freak occurrence, intense review of ALL the maintenance records to determine what really happened and whom the blame will be ultimately placed on in due time

Here is video with VHF traffic taken right before the actual grounding. Surprised that BIG centerconsole wasn’t able to pass a line and the rolling doesn’t seem bad enough to prevent a crew to pop thru the fwd hatch to release the anchor. Sorry it s a FB link… https://www.facebook.com/reel/356906626848272?fs=e&s=TIeQ9V&mibextid=0NULKw

Apparently she was removed this late afternoon.

She is off the beach now. Anyway, the photo credit for the pics goes to Ole Parker from Parker Yachts.

92 Viking Sportfish aground.jpg

Viking sportfish towed.jpg.

rtrafford Senior Member

Super high tides...good that they got her off quickly.

MBevins Senior Member

She doesn't appear to be in tow. Any word on this?

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November 4, 2023.

• Viking 92 Beaches in Delray Beach Following Black-Out

2 comments:

Viking 92 Convertible towing attempts video by Wavy boats https://youtu.be/ZCSJThR2j3k

Alfred Montaner makes a two hours film review of the story. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iGNwgHOaqko

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Viking Yachts 90 Review: New Flagship Boat Replaces the 92

• By Peter Frederiksen
• May 9, 2023

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Freshly launched at the 2023 Miami International Boat Show, the Viking 90 is the company’s new flagship, replacing its popular 92-footer that was launched in the 2015 model year. Viking built and delivered 21 of the 92s, and was prepared to continue, but new International Maritime Organization emission regulations required the installation of heavy, large, and potentially dangerous Selective Catalytic Reduction systems. Because the required equipment to deal with these changes neither existed nor would be available to maintain the boat’s production schedule, Viking was forced to discontinue the production of the 92.

A bitter tale perhaps, but since 1964, when Bill and Bob Healey founded the Viking Yacht Company in New Gretna, New Jersey, the builder has dealt with all sorts of stumbling blocks, including the early 1990s federal luxury tax that crushed the marine industry, and several recessions. Recent challenges include COVID-related supply-chain issues and a proposed 10-knot East Coast speed restriction due to right whale conundrums. Yet, somehow, none of these obstacles stopped Viking from carrying out its mantra to “build a better boat every day.”

Some 5,000 boats later, Viking president and CEO Pat Healey charged his design, engineering, and production teams to renew that commitment again and build a new flagship. Investing $20 million in research and creating more than 240 new molds, including hull, topside, flybridge and interior, and pouring in reservoirs of sweat equity and tens of thousands of man-hours, the unveiling of the new Viking 90 as a flagship is no fish story. As with any Viking, a new model must be as good as or better than what it replaces, and the Viking 90 is all that and more.

Cockpit and Mezzanine

The 90’s cockpit is 224 square feet and includes a 203-gallon livewell built into the ­transom that can double as a fish box. A pair of 103-gallon ­insulated fish boxes line the cockpit sole, and each can be refrigerated or serve as a depository for the dual Eskimo ice chippers. A watertight centerline deck hatch opens to access the Seakeeper 35 ­gyrostabilizer for maintenance and routine inspections.

The cockpit work area resembles the 92, so there is undergunwale storage, and the lower-mezzanine ­seating ­provides air conditioning for relaxing, watching baits, and staying close to the cockpit action. Insulated boxes and other compartments stow gear, drinks and tackle, and the crew quarters are also accessed through this area. The upper mezzanine is reached by way of ­flanking steps from the cockpit sole and includes an L-shaped aft-­facing lounge, a teak table, and an available 43-inch flat-screen ­television that drops down from the overhead. Another ­seating area to starboard ­provides an electric grill, a cocktail ice machine, and drawer ­storage. Artisan teak decking and a faux-teak bulkhead and cockpit trim work make for a custom feel.

Interior and Accommodations

Stepping into the salon through the electric sliding door, you can see that the interior matches what the 92 provided, starting with access to the enclosed bridge via a wide staircase to starboard. The 92’s interior was a hit with each owner, so the design group capitalized on those previous efforts, essentially fitting the interior accommodations of the 92 into the new 90 hull and deckhouse footprints.

A massive U-shaped lounge to port faces the starboard-side entertainment center with a 65-inch television that rises from the walnut cabinetry, which is available in either a satin or gloss finish, along with a wet bar, sink and icemaker. Slightly forward, the starboard galley with engineered-stone countertops offers tremendous space for several place settings, five bar stools, and commercial-grade appliances. Opposite the galley, there’s an immense U-shaped walnut table on a raised platform that provides a home for rod storage. There is a day head to port and a walk-in pantry to starboard that can also serve as a makeshift stateroom.

The 90-footer’s design group reworked the 92’s overnight accommodations and tweaked an inch here and there to refine the available space with the goal to streamline each stateroom while retaining the size of each bed and entryway. The master stateroom utilizes the full beam, providing a king-size walk-around bed, end tables, credenza, 65-inch television, walk-in closet, lounge seat, ­vanity and desk. His-and-her heads are separated by a walk-in ­glass-framed shower. Four other staterooms, each with a private head and fiberglass shower, provide comfort and privacy. The aft crew quarters also include a small galley and laundry center, enabling the 90 to easily spend a month at sea.

Hull No. 1 is built with a ­climate-­controlled enclosed bridge with the skybridge option, with 9-plus feet of ­freeboard ­forward and 3-plus feet aft.

The unbroken ­sheerline melds these dimensions into a silky-smooth transition from bow to stern, and bridge to waterline. The enclosed bridge adds a number of features, including a second salon with an L-shaped lounge, a high-low walnut cocktail table, refrigeration, and a 43-inch pop-up television. The command helm is a home run, and especially noteworthy for its one-piece, wraparound forward windshield that maximizes the operator’s visibility without the typical ­distractions caused by vertical mullions. The added visibility also benefits passengers sitting in the flanking Stidd companion seats, whose view is equally unobstructed. Viking ­subsidiary Atlantic Marine Electronics equipped the helm with five 24-inch Seatronx MFDs, while the lower portion of the helm console is outfitted with radio boxes, instruments, SidePower bow-thruster controls, Optimus steering, and MTU engine controls.

Outside, AME complemented the aft-station layout with a pair of Seatronx 19-inch displays, which also include full engine ­controls and ­communication ­equipment. A sitting area is to port, ­separated by a ladder to the ­skybridge. The skybridge ­features the craftsmanship of Viking’s other subsidiary, Palm Beach Towers, which completed the ­fiberglass hardtop and added a host of accessories, ­including Rupp hydraulic outriggers, spreader lights, teaser reels, ­custom bridge railings, and a radar pod. Viking also offers the 90 convertible in an ­open-bridge style.

Engine Room and Performance

The gleaming Snow White Awlgrip-painted engine room has more than 7 feet of headroom on the centerline, with 40 inches between the main engines. Twin 2,600 hp MTUs provide walkaround accessibility to various systems, including the Furuno CSH8L sonar tube, Octoplex digital switching system, and the Optimus steering system. Components are neatly labeled, and composite seacocks help stem corrosion and reduce weight.

The centralized seawater system has been redesigned to reduce complexity and incorporates ElectroSea’s Clearline system with dual pumps to increase reliability and component longevity. A chilled-water air-conditioning system provides 18 tons of cooling with reverse-cycle heat and individual controls throughout the interior.

Read Next: Get to know Pat Healey, the president of VIking Yachts, in our exclusive interview .

Twelve people were on board for our sea trial off the coast of Palm Beach, Florida. With a fuel load of 70 percent, the 90 hustled to an average top speed of 38 knots, where one pass read 39.3 knots on the GPS. At 2,100 rpm, the boat eases along at 32-plus knots to deliver a range of some 582 nautical miles.

The Viking Yacht Company hasn’t missed a beat in nearly 60 years of continuous production, and the passing of its 92 is just another milestone in the company’s history. So, it’s safe to say, with 16 90-footers already on order, the beat goes on.

Viking Yachts 90 Specs

• Beam: 23’2”
• Draft: 5’11”
• Displ: 193,490 lb.
• Fuel: 3,801 gal.
• Water: 480 gal.
• Power: MTU 16V2000 M96L
• Gear/Ratio: ZF 5000A/2.962:1
• Propellers: Veem, 5-blade
• Gelcoat: Kingston Grey
• Climate Control: Dometic
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PASTIME yacht NOT for charter*

28.42m  /  93'3 | viking yachts | 2016.

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Special Features:

• Interior design from Viking Yachts
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• Sleeps 9 overnight

The 28.42m/93'3" Sport Fisher yacht 'Pastime' (ex. Sweet Tuna) was built by Viking Yachts . Her interior is styled by American designer design house Viking Yachts and she was completed in 2016. This luxury vessel's exterior design is the work of Viking Yachts.

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Pastime has been designed to comfortably accommodate up to 9 guests in 6 suites comprising one VIP cabin. She is also capable of carrying up to 2 crew onboard to ensure a relaxed luxury yacht experience.

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Built with a GRP hull and GRP superstructure, with grp/teak decks, she has impressive speed and great efficiency thanks to her planing hull. Powered by twin diesel MTU (16V2000M96) 2,600hp engines, she comfortably cruises at 30 knots, reaches a maximum speed of 36 knots. Her water tanks store around 1,836 Litres of fresh water.

*Charter Pastime Motor Yacht

Motor yacht Pastime is currently not believed to be available for private Charter. To view similar yachts for charter , or contact your Yacht Charter Broker for information about renting a luxury charter yacht.

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Sergei Kirov ~ Viking River Cruises Moscow to St. Petersburg June 23 to July 6, 2001 by Gary Karschnick I haven't seen this subject often before, so I thought a report on our trip might be of interest to some. Let me start off by saying that we have been fortunate enough to have taken almost 70 cruises and about a dozen bus tours in Europe and Asia. In my opinion, this river cruise was one of the best, if not the very best of all the trips we have taken. We took the Moscow to St. Petersburg cruise on the MS Sergei Kirov with Viking River Cruises. We departed the U.S. on June 23rd and returned last Friday, July 6th. Diane in front of St. Basil's Before I get into the specifics about the trip, let me make some observations. Viking River Cruises does an outstanding job! Everything is well thought out from the friendliness of the staff, to the quality of the food, to the comfort of the cabins (including plenty of large fluffy towels), to the quality of the tour guides, and to the entertainment/lectures on board. They provide great value for the money. The cost of the cruise is comparable to a quality ocean cruise of the same duration. The Russian people we met were warm and friendly. Many spoke English. They were open about the problems they are having adjusting to a free economy. They can relate to Americans and our history. They understand that as some of the Russians are against the new system, so also were some of the colonists against breaking away from King George back a couple of hundred years. They have a love/hate relationship with us. They would love to have our fancy cars and consumer goods and hate that they are going to have to slowly develop a system to allow it. Their banking system is not set up to allow for mortgages or car loans. Their tax system almost requires them to lie about their real wages (and then they can't qualify for those loans that are available.) Within their social system, a doctor is paid $50 a month. So is a pensioner. Neither can live on that, but the doctor can find some other work, while the pensioner must beg. Other observations, the Russian women are beautiful! They dress daily as if they are on their way to a disco. You don't see any overweight young women. They are slim and wearing the latest fashions on the streetcar to work. Also, regular goods are available. There are no lines for toilet paper anymore. Markets are everywhere and meat and vegetables are readily available. We caught a morning flight on Delta Airlines to Atlanta to connect with Delta 96 to JFK in New York. I usually plan on having at least one back-up flight, but with a 2-hour cushion in Atlanta and another 2-hour cushion in JFK, I thought we were safe. Wrong! Weather in Florida delayed our equipment into Atlanta by 2 hours. After getting loaded, we were stopped again by a mechanical malfunction. That took another hour to get cleared. Then Air Traffic Control delayed our takeoff for another hour so that we were scheduled to arrive in JFK at the same time as our flight to Russia was scheduled to depart. We were nervous as were many other international connecting passengers. When we arrived, we found, to our delight, that Delta had held all the international connecting flights except for those where they could accommodate the passengers on other carriers. My hat is off to those Delta Passenger agents in JFK who had to endure the panicked shouting of concerned passengers and who patiently helped them get to their proper gates. I might add that we were served a delightful snack on the way to JFK.  A side note here. We have accumulated quite a few frequent flyer miles in our travels, so instead of trying for free tickets, we found it easier to buy coach tickets and use the miles to upgrade to Business Elite for the entire trip. I am tall and have a great deal of difficulty with the coach seats, so this made the flights very nice. We transferred to Delta Flight 30 to Moscow and had a very nice flight. The Flight Attendants were very nice and the meals were excellent! Delta has evidently responded to some criticism of its' food. My steak was very nice, and my wife had Mexican Chicken, which was also good. I like the course by course service they do. Because of the delay at departure, we arrived in Moscow about an hour late also.  What you have heard about the long lines and delays at passport control is true. There were only 2 lines for foreigners entering Russia. The women officials did not have the advantage of computers, so they were thorough in doing their job, They took about a minute studying each passport. When you count about a hundred people in line ahead of you, you know it's going to be about an hour and a half until it's your turn. The officials are not necessarily unfriendly, but it is evident that they don't want to chat. Once through Passport Control, a smiling young girl carrying a sign that said Viking River Cruises met us. She spoke very good English and helped us claim our baggage. We walked right out past customs to the curb. No one seemed to want the customs form we had filled out on the airplane while enroute. Viking arranged for a private car to take us right to the ship. In Russia, they drive very fast and don't usually stay within the confines of the painted traffic lanes. After a half-hour trip we arrived at the North Riverboat port and boarded the Sergei Kirov. We were welcomed aboard the Sergei Kirov with a glass of champagne. Our bags were taken to our cabin while we checked in at reception where they took our visas and our outbound airline tickets. Visas so that they could register them with the proper authorities and airline tickets so that they could re-confirm our flights and arrange for our transfers to the airport in St. Petersburg at the end of the cruise.  We had opted for a Deluxe (or double) cabin. I'm glad we did. The standard cabins on the Russian boats are rather small, around 110 sq.ft. The bunks in the standard cabins are a little too short for me and the bathroom has a shower arrangement where you pull the shower head out of the sink (much like your kitchen sink at home) and clip it to the wall or hold it when you shower. Needless to say, everything gets wet and you have to remove all your toiletries before using it. I did not hear anyone complaining about it, so it must have worked out. On the other hand, our cabin had 2 beds together to make up a (almost) King-size, a sofa, a refrigerator, TV and a large bathroom with a big walk-in shower. Throughout the cruise we had plenty of hot water. Showers were a delight.  Meals on board were wonderful. Our chef was German. He had worked the previous year as one of the chefs on Crystal Cruise lines and for the 2 years before that on Princess Cruise lines. 95% of the food was imported from Europe. The only Russian food we had was sturgeon, caviar, and Russian wines, which were complimentary with each meal. Meal formats were as follows. Breakfast was always a buffet with fresh fruit, cereal, breads, some cold meats, bacon or ham, French toast or pancakes, and a station where one of the chefs would cook eggs to your request. There was also juice, coffee and tea. Lunch usually consisted of a buffet salad bar with 3 kinds of dressing and an entree and desert served at your table, with drinks. Dinner was at the table and consisted of an appetizer, soup, main entree with vegetable, and desert. All of the waitresses were pretty young Russian girls who spoke excellent English. Our cruise was underbooked, so we pretty much had a waitress for each table. Service was excellent. Our first meals on board were a snack of sandwiches in the Panorama bar available all afternoon so that as each one boarded, some food was available. At dinner the first night we were served a good salad, French onion soup Venison Ragout, and Poppyseed cake. The restaurant was all open seating so you were free to sit with whomever you wanted or by your self at a table for 2. The ship had the capacity for about 220 passengers and we had 30 Americans, Canadians, and Australians and about 50 Germans. Viking River Cruises arranged separate programs for the English speaking and the German speaking guests. We even took opposite halves of the dining room. In retrospect, we wished we had mixed more, because at the end of the cruise, we made some friends in the German group and they also wanted to be with us. The language barrier wasn’t so great that we couldn't communicate in some fashion. Anyway, all our events and tours were conducted in English. In our group of 30, there were 8 who had booked with Abercrombie & Kent. They stayed in a hotel in Moscow and again at the end of the cruise in St. Petersburg and did their own city tours. I think A&K is a fine company, but in this case it wasn't so good for their clients. They paid a couple of thousand dollars more for their cruise and got the same city tours as us, meals no better than ours, and had to move and pack up 3 times. As an example, we went to the Moscow circus. It was great! The other group went to an opera (in Russian). They said the opera house was beautiful, but they didn't get to see an elephant on ice skates. (We didn't either, but the circus was wonderful and the other group was sorry that they missed it.) Really, the best and most comprehensive tours were those arranged by Viking. Day by day to follow Gary in Red Square On Monday, we started our tours early. (After a breakfast with wonderful chewy bread baked on board.) We had our Viking tour director, Misha, with us and also picked up Oxanna, a Moscow city tour guide. She was a beautiful woman who had been an Intourist guide under the communist system so was able to tell us about the life now versus the old system. She was also a very knowledgeable guide. The first stop was the Kremlin and the Armory Museum. Next we went to Red square where we were met by none other than Jack Nicholson who was there visiting also. Took a long stroll through the famous GUM (pronounced GOOM) department store which is really a large building housing many high-class boutiques and shops. The Russians don't shop there, not that they can't, but prices are 3 times higher there than elsewhere in Moscow. It is a sight to see.  Oxanna then took us on a ride on the Metro (subway) It was quite an event to get all 22 of us onto the same car and off at the proper stops. Each station is like a different museum. Beautiful! From there, back to the bus and we stopped at a scenic outlook and ate box lunches provided by the ship. Excellent lunches containing 2 sandwiches, an orange, a candy bar, fruit juice, a hard-boiled egg, and a bottle of water. Let me mention here, that while they said the water on the ship was ok, they recommended that we always use bottled water just to be sure. It was available on the ship at $2/liter. After lunch we went to Arbat street, the local and tourist shopping area. Had lots of free time for our first look at the souvenirs and a chance to use McDonalds for a rest room break. Rest rooms are usually available and most are free, but in some museums, there is an old "babushka" at the door waiting to collect 7 rubles for your visit. This is her salary for keeping the place clean and they are clean and well stocked. You don't need to bring your own toilet paper anymore. We went back to the ship and took a short nap. (Still suffering from jet lag.) Then a quick dinner and off to the Moscow Circus. The first half was basically a very good ice show. Dancers, clowns, animals and some acrobats. After a short intermission while the safety nets were rigged, we were treated to an extraordinary flying trapeze act. They had the crowd on their feet. It was spectacular. After that, back to the ship to bed. Oleg & Barry bidding farewell from Moscow Tuesday, after another all you could eat breakfast, we visited the Pushkin Fine Arts Museum. Back to the ship for lunch and our 1:30 departure. Lunch was salad bar, Beef Stroganoff over seasoned Rice, followed by an eclair stuffed with Coffee Mousse. I want to digress here to tell about an experience we had. On our first afternoon after checking onto the ship, we took a little walk around the dock area. We met a young man walking his dog. It was a Pomeranian just like ours back home. By gestures, we asked if we could pet him. He said ok and we soon found out that he, Oleg, spoke English. We had a very nice conversation and soon became instant friends. Now back to our departure from Moscow. Oleg had come to the dock with his dog to bid us farewell. As the boat sailed, they played some lovely music over the PA system. It was just like the movies and was a touching scene and a precursor as to how warm and friendly the Russian people are. The weather was sunny and warm throughout our stay. We sailed along the Moscow canal, which was lined with children and families taking advantage of the weather to sun, and enjoy themselves. There were also quite a few fishermen.  At 4:00 P.M., we went to the Captains Welcoming Cocktail Party. There was no receiving line. We were served lots of Russian Champagne and the Captain, through an interpreter, introduced his officers and wished us a happy cruise. Most men did not bring along coat and tie, so the entire cruise was casual dress. At dinner, the entree choices were Veal Picata or Pike-Perch. The Maitre'D usually comes to each table at lunch and asks what the dinner entree choice will be. This is to prevent wastage and to make sure everyone gets his or her choice. This system worked well. Even if you changed your mind, there was no problem. Later in the week, when we took our galley tour, we marveled at how so much food could be prepared in such a small space. Continued in Part Two

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From Moscow to St. Petersburg: 6 ancient cities to see along the way

Monument to Mikhail Tverskoy on Sovetskaya Square in Tver

Since Russia’s second capital, St. Petersburg, was founded more than 300 years ago, many of the country’s most prominent people, from Imperial rulers to poets, often traveled between the two centers of power. Not surprisingly, Russia’s first paved roads were between Moscow and St. Petersburg, and the country’s first major railway line linked the two cities.

Writer Alexandr Radishchev was imprisoned for his report,  Journey from St. Petersburg to Moscow (1790), and was almost executed by Catherine the Great for penning this travel diary. In the end, the monarch spared his life and he was exiled to Siberia.

Today, there are several ways to travel from Moscow to St. Petersburg (high-speed train, overnight train or plane), but you can also enjoy an amazing road trip between the two host cities of The 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia ™.

Monument to Pyotr Tchaikovsky in Klin

After about an hour driving on the M-11 highway you’ll arrive in the small tsarist-era merchant town of Klin, which is in the Moscow Region. Right at the city entrance you will see the Demyanovo Estate. In 1785, Catherine the Great and her grandson, future Tsar Alexander I, stayed here. Nearly 16 years later, poet Alexander Pushkin was also a guest.

Composer Pyotr Tchaikovsky spent the last years of his life in Klin, so you’ll also see monuments and signs of his memory everywhere. There is a house museum devoted to his life and art, and it’s said that Tchaikovsky wrote his famous “Nutcracker” in the city.

In 1569, Ivan the Terrible called for a campaign to punish the rebellious city of Veliky Novgorod, and since Klin was on this route it was almost burnt down by the vicious shock troops known as the oprichniki . Klin’s first stone church, the Church of the Confession of the Holy Mother of God, was built soon after this tragedy and still stands today. Read more about Klin and its surroundings here .

Take a boat tour on the Volga River

After about another 1.5 hours you’ll reach Tver. The city was once a rich and powerful competitor to Moscow. Located at where the Volga and Tvertsa rivers meet, Tver was once a prosperous merchant city. Today, it’s more of an average provincial town.

In summer, take a boat tour on the Volga River. The one-hour ride allows you to see the whole city, including Catherine the Great's recently restored Imperial Travel Palace  that now hosts a fine art gallery. Other sites to keep an eye out for include the huge train wagon factory, and the picturesque embankments on both sides of the Volga.

Take a stroll along the Trekhsvyatskaya pedestrian street, and greet Pushkin, Afanasy Nikitin and Vladimir Lenin, as well as grab a snack there. Read more about Tver and its surroundings here.

St. Boris and Gleb Monastery

Not far from Tver is the small cozy town of Torzhok where you can find a wide range of activities. 

In the gastronomical sphere the old merchant city is well known for its unique Croquettes Pozharsky , which Pushkin praised: “Dine in the Pozharsky Inn in Torzhok with fried meat cutlets and you’ll certainly leave happy!”

Today, you can sample them in almost every restaurant, especially next to the poet’s museum. By the way, the museum’s garden offers the best view of the city from above.

Apart from more mundane matters, Torzhok was once a powerful religious center with the monumental St. Boris and Gleb Monastery , located at the steep shore of the Tvertsa River.

Many centuries ago a local monk showed Kievan Princess Olga a precious local traditional skill: goldwork . In the Goldwork Museum, you can learn how Torzhok masters embellish clothes and accessories with golden embroidery. Read more about Torzhok here .

4. Vyshny Volochyok

Monument to Ilya Repin next the Academic Dacha of the Russian Artists Union

In another hour you’ll be in the “Russian Venice!” You might wonder why this ambitious moniker? Vyshny Volochyok is an old merchant town, located on a large canal system. Prior to the 19th century, the Vyshny Volochyok Waterway connected St. Petersburg with central Russia, and the canals made possible cargo routes for all sorts of supplies, from food to construction materials.

To the benefit of Russian culture, Vyshny Volochyok was a “place of inspiration” for famous artists including Ilya Repin, Isaac Levitan and Arkhip Kuindzhi. Today’s artists still come here to invigorate their creative powers at the Academic Dacha of the Russian Artists Union. The great Repin once wrote about the place: “Isn't it the promised land for a landscape painter! It is the essence of Russia, its soul and its beauty... It's like a song!”

At night it’s cold? No problem. The original Valenki manufacturer, and its nice museum and shop, are open almost 24 hours. Here you can find reliable and real Russian felt boots. Read more about Vyshny Volochok and its surroundings here .

Valday Iversky Monastery

Ding, dang, dong... this is how Valdai greets visitors! In 1910, Georgy Andreev founded a bell factory here, where they produced church bells as well as secular ones. Why here? Because in this region for centuries fast-going winter sledges and carriages used to ring a small bell to alert the others and avoid crashes. Later the military started to use these signals as well, and they were prohibited for civilian transport.

Walk around the small Palace Park and guess which Russian tsarina made Valdai a city and built a beautiful estate here?  Catherine the Great, of course! In fact, she built ‘small’ travel houses in almost every major city in order to rest on her long journeys.

In the tiny white rotunda in the park you’ll find the Bell Museum where you can learn about the bells, their history, and also be taught how to play the large bell ensembles found at the top of church towers.

When you leave the city on the way to Veliky Novgorod stop at the picturesque Iversky Monastery, which is located in the middle of a dark forest next to a large lake. Founded in the 17th century by Patriarch Nikon, who was on his way to the Solovetsky Islands in the north, the monastery grounds offers a chance to enjoy nature, peace and solitude. The monastery kitchen feeds visitors well with typical Ivan Chai tea , Sbiten and different cookies, cakes and more. Read more about Valdai and it’s surroundings here .

6. Veliky Novgorod

Russia's oldest kremlin

Now you’ve arrived at the last stop before reaching St. Petersburg, and you can again get used to bigger cities. In Veliky Novgorod, which means Novgorod the Great, you can walk along the imposing kremlin walls or take a bath in the wide Volkhov River. The city’s kremlin , or Detinets , is Russia's most ancient that has survived to our day.

Visit the extraordinary State Gallery and Regional Museum inside the kremlin , and then try the fine local restaurants with traditional Russian cuisine. Next, take a small trip to the wooden village of Vitoslavitsy, which often has festivals of Russian culture.

Next to this tiny village and it’s Open Air Museum of Russian Wooden Architecture you can also take a glance on the famous St. Yuryev Monastery. Founded in 1030 by Yaroslav the Wise, it’s one of Russia’s oldest monasteries. Read more about Veliky Novgorod and its surrounding here .

What next? In about 200 km there will be a few smaller tsarist summer palaces, and in about two or three hours you’re back in civilization – in exquisite St. Petersburg.

For your trip we also recommend to read about the driving culture in Russia .

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